Honour for cool PC whom calmed machete man

A BRAVE bobby who talked a machete-wielding man out of slashing his own throat has received a top honour.

PC Paul Butler was among 13

officers and 11 civilians to get the Area Commander's commendation on Tuesday after tackling the man at a house in Southcote.

The drama unfolded after a call to the police saying a man was

threatening his partner with a machete and that there were three young children in the home.

Friends and family at the

ceremony at Reading police station heard that PC Butler went to the

house in Hastings Close.

He said: "When we turned up, the wife came out with the youngest child. I went in with a colleague to do a search and we found him in one of the back bedrooms, with his back to the wall and a 15-inch machete to his own throat. It was sharp as well - I could see that.

"We tried to establish where the other children were in the house and talked to him for about 45

minutes. During that time, my colleague got the other two children out.

"He knew he was going to be arrested so I didn't make any false promises to him. I felt okay but was aware of the harm he could do

himself or me because we were in such as small space.

"I could have tried to block the machete with the baton, but that's about it."

In the end, the officer disarmed the man.

PC Butler, who received a Chief Constable's award in 1999 for diving into a lock to save a suicidal man, said he was "chuffed" to pick up a second commendation.

Three officers and five civilians were praised for two separate rescue attempts after seeing people being swept away in the Kennet and Avon canal.

Double glazer Craig Nevard dived into the freezing water in January.

He saw an elderly woman fall into the canal as he worked on Kennet House, opposite the Hogshead pub.

But the current prevented Mr Nevard from reaching the woman.

He clambered back out of the water and tracked the woman until police officers Iona Rowberry, Clare Woodland and Darren Bates swam to the woman.

But she was already dead

and a post-mortem examination revealed she had suffered a severe heart attack and may have died before entering the water.

Mr Nevard, from Harrow, said: "I'm quite honoured, but I think anybody would have done it.

"You don't have time to think about it."

Dominic Coultress, Angela Siloy, Chris Barnes and Sharon Duke all received awards after a successful rescue attempt in April

A 55-year-old woman jumped into the canal near Reading prison and was swept away by the current.

All four managed to track her down the river and pull her out of the water near Toys R Us.

It was later discovered that she had a history of mental illness and was depressed over the recent death of her husband. The four had saved her from committing suicide.

A modest Mr Barnes, 32, from Hungerford, said: "I was walking to work when I saw the lady being swept down the canal and it was just an automatic reaction.

"The act wasn't intended to be rewarded - that wasn't the purpose.

"I think 99 people out of 100 would have acted as I have done - there's nothing special about my

character."

Area Commander Dave Murray, of Reading with Wokingham Police, handed out the commendations.